Ways for Teens to Get Flat Abs

Getting a six pack stomach is not an unattainable goal -- especially for teenage girls. Most healthy teenage girls are extremely active, making it easier to keep on top of a regular workout regime. It is important you stay determined because it can take some time to develop a six pack. Don't give up when you do not see your hard work immediately. Abdominal muscle definition takes time and perseverance.

Diet
Reduce your intake of white bread, pasta and rice. These foods have little to no nutritional value. When eating these types of foods, choose whole grains.

Fill up on fiber. Fiber is essential to obtaining a six-pack stomach -- because it reduces bloat around the abdominal muscles and keeps you feeling fuller longer. High fiber items are beans, fruits and vegetables. Teens need 30 to 35 mg per day, this is very attainable if you eat natural foods.

Snack on nuts, yogurt and lean meats. These foots have lots of protein, which helps build and repair muscles. Since you'll be working your muscles, this is essential.

Cut out soda and sugary sports drinks. Even diet soda can cause abdominal bloat and cravings for sweets. Sugary sports drinks are wasted calories.

Reduce the amount of sweets you eat. Drastically cutting out sweets, especially if you enjoy them, is not a good idea. This deprivation can lead to eating an excessive amount, setting you behind on your progress. Enjoying a piece of dark chocolate every day will not wreck your diet.

Exercise
Schedule cardio workouts. Getting your heart rate up will help burn that extra fat around the abdominal muscle. Great forms of cardio workouts are running, bike riding and rowing. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio exercises five times a week.

Enroll in a Bikram yoga class. Yoga is very effective at building up your muscles -- it is also great at helping you relax. Bikram yoga is done in a room that's 105 degrees. This temperature helps you sweat out impurities and toxins, this can help burn off the extra layer of fat around and reduce water weight.

Work your upper abdominal muscles. Regular sit-ups offer a limited range of motion, for best results do your sit-ups on a stability ball. Once you become comfortable with this, hold a hand weight on your chest while doing the sit-up for extra resistance.

Focus on the lower muscles. Women, even teenage girls, tend to store most of their fat around lower abdominal muscles. Work away this bulge by doing reverse abdominal crunches. Lie on your back, arms at your side, and thighs at a 90 degree angle to the floor. Using your lower abdominal muscles only, bring your knees to your chest.

The Best Way to Get a 6 Pack

Well-defined abs are the epitome of good health and fitness. The key to having a six pack is by losing fat and gaining muscle. The stomach is usually the last place to lose fat, so it can be very difficult to trim the midsection. Proper nutrition and diet is the number one contributor to a six pack. If you eat junk food, then chances are you will not obtain the results you are looking for. It takes a lot of self-control and discipline to have great abs.

Diet
The key factor in getting great abs is proper nutrition. Eat plenty of protein in the form of lean meats, turkey, chicken, beans, fish, eggs, milk and protein bars and shakes. You also should eat lots of vegetables and avoid sugar and junk food. Fruits can be eaten in moderation, but they can cause a rise in blood sugar levels, which will cause you to have cravings and can wreak havoc on your diet. Be sure to drink plenty of water, which will flush your body of toxins as you lose fat.

Cardio
Cardio exercise is the only way to burn fat. Great cardio exercises are running, swimming, dancing and bike riding. Anything that will raise your heart rate throughout your workout will be a good source of cardio. Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of cardio for three or more times per week if you are trying to lose weight and gain muscle. Bodybuilders often do two sets of cardio per day when weight training.

Strength training
Ab exercises such as crunches and sit ups should be done at least twice per week. It is recommended that you do more for faster results. Be sure to vary your exercise workout and work each muscle group in the abdominal area to obtain the best results. The best ab exercises are resistance exercises, such as incline bench sit ups and leg raises.